Leaning Towers Straightened in Saline Valley;
NPS Starts Project to Stabilize Historic Salt Tram Towers

DEATH VALLEY, Calif. – Preservation specialists from the National Park Service (NPS) are working to protect three historic wooden towers in Saline Valley. Additional work is planned for Tower #1, which was toppled in April 2024.

The Saline Valley Salt Tram, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was built by the Saline Valley Salt Company in 1911 to transport salt over the Inyo Mountains. While the first four towers are located within Death Valley National Park, most of the tramway crosses land managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

Specialists from the NPS Historic Preservation Training Center recently used ropes, winches, and supports to pull two leaning towers back to vertical. Over the course of one and a half days, each tower was carefully repositioned. Once upright, the towers were stabilized with wooden braces. A third tower was disassembled and removed for more extensive repairs. The restoration team plans to return the repaired tower this spring.

These towers had been leaning due to the effects of age and weathering, requiring immediate attention to preserve the integrity of this historic structure. This project is funded by the Inflation Reduction Act.

NPS photo
Photo 1 of 3 in series of the same tower. A NPS preservationist attaches ropes to begin the stabilization process.

NPS photo
Photo 2 of 3 in series of the same tower. A NPS preservationist pulls the leaning tower back to proper position and attaches cross bracing.

Photo 3 of 3 in series of the same tower. Salt tram with added braces for stabilization.
NPS photo